Pope halts Armenia speech

By CNN Correspondent Jim Bittermann

YEREVAN, Armenia (CNN) -- Pope John Paul II -- slurring his words and visibly tired -- has halted a speech during his visit to Armenia on Tuesday.

The 81-year-old pope sat slumped on a chair as an aide finished reading the text of his remarks.

Earlier the pontiff had been able to make remarks in English on his arrival in Yerevan as planned. However, he did not take the afternoon rest period he usually has.

Instead, he travelled to the home of Catholicos Karekin II, the Armenian Apostolic Church leader in Echmiadzin.

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The pontiff began breathing heavily and slurring his words as he read his remarks. "Thank you for welcoming me into your home," he said and then stopped.

He slumped into a chair where he sat until his aide finished reading remarks in Armenian. At that point, appearing somewhat revived, the pope read a prayer and then went outside to bless the tombs of patriarchs.

Vatican officials were not immediately available to say whether the pope had planned to stop reading his speech, something he has done in the past, or was forced to stop.

The temperature was around 25 celsius or 77 Farenheit as the pope was speaking.

The pope is scheduled for a three day visit to pay tribute to Armenia's ancient Christian church, celebrating the 1,700th anniversary as Armenia's state religion. He arrived from Astana, Kazakstan where he had completed a four-day visit.

John Paul suffers from symptoms of Parkinson's disease.